Routine visit leads to arrestCLARKSVILLE -- Calvin Green was arrested last Wednesday after the Clarksville Police Department and Arkansas Probation and Parole found methamphetamine during a routine home visit, which led to the discovery of several more illicit items. According to a release by the Clarksville Police Department, the methamphetamine was observed in plain view, and Green and his wife, Liza Holt were detained and a search while a search was performed on the ho...

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Courier Staff ReportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

'16 murder trial set for ThursdayDANVILLE -- Two men, one from Russellville and the other from Havana, are scheduled to appear in Yell County Circuit Court on Thursday and Friday for the murder of a Havana man in March 2016. The 15th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney's office confirmed last week that Robert Michael McCowan, 19, of Russellville and Sean Mathis Tyra, 23, of Havana were charged with the first-degree murder of Randy Jackson of Havana on March 28, 2016. Anoth...

Another arrest made in Dollar General robberyStacy Q. Cox, 21, was arrested in connection with a Dollar General Store robbery on Sept. 27, 2016, on Highway 124. Cox is the third suspect to be arrested in relation to the robbery. According to a police report, three people robbed the store at approximately 9:59 p.m. as an employee was attempting to lock the door. According to a victim, two men arrived, pointed a gun at her and demanded money. She and another employee were forced to empty t...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Police beatn Russellville Police Department (RPD) Officer Chris Isbell arrested a 26-year-old man and cited him DWI (second offense) and left of center after a traffic stop on the Interstate 40 eastbound ramp. According to a police report, a white truck did not completely stop at West Birch Street and North Arkansas Avenue. Following field sobriety tests at the scene, the suspect was transported to RPD where a blood alcohol content (BAC) test resulted in...

Authorities arrest man after alleged theft from storeKevin J. Williams, 30, was arrested by Russellville Police after allegedly shoplifting from a hardware store in town. According to the police report, Williams attacked employees after being confronted over the robbery. Williams allegedly hid a bottle of pest control solution and water pump in his pants. When employees blocked the door and confronted him, Williams allegedly struck an employee in the face and chest and elbowed a woman in the nos...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Circuit judge 'admonished' by the JDDCLITTLE ROCK -- The Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission (JDDC) issued a letter of admonishment to Circuit Judge William "Bill" Pearson on Tuesday and determined the sentence he received after he pleaded guilty to DWI and reckless driving on April 17 was "adequate discipline" for his conduct. David Sachar, JDDC executive director, said Tuesday that Pearson received an admonishment for violating ethical canons after he broke state law. ...

Officers earn Meritorious Service AwardsRussellville Police Department corporals Joseph Paterak, Kevin Hobby and Terry Cobb were recently presented the Meritorious Service Award by Chief Jeff Humphrey. Paterak is a field training officer. Hobby is school resource officer at Russellville Junior High School (RJHS), and Cobb is the school resource officer at Russellville High School (RHS). The chief explained in letters presented to the three that the Meritorious Service Award is given...

Authorities say sex offender failed to register addressSteven D. Lampkin, 48, was arrested for failure to comply with sex offender registry requirements, according to a police report. Lampkin appeared in felony bond hearings on Monday before District Judge Don Bourne, where his bail was set at $10,000. According to the police report, Lampkin is required to register as a sex offender due to a conviction from the state of Louisiana in 2004. Around Oct. 18, 2016, Lampkin reported to the Pope County S...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Arkansas executes 2 inmates on the same gurney, hours apartVARNER, Ark. — Two inmates received lethal injections on the same gurney Monday night about three hours apart as Arkansas completed the nation's first double execution since 2000, just days after the state ended a nearly 12-year hiatus on administering capital punishment. While the first inmate, Jack Jones, was executed on schedule, shortly after 7 p.m., attorneys for the second, Marcel Williams, convinced a federal judge minutes later to brie...

Ross trial for murder continuedThe trial of a Russellville man who was charged with murder after the shooting death of his wife was continued recently in Pope County Circuit Court. David Gibbons, prosecuting attorney for the Fifth Judicial District, said the trial of Jeffery Ross, 48, originally scheduled for April 11, was continued to July 10-12 in Pope County Circuit Court on the request of his defense attorney, Omar Greene of Little Rock. He was charged with first-degree...

Arkansas carries out first execution since 2005VARNER — Arkansas has executed an inmate for the first time in nearly a dozen years as part of its plan to execute several inmates before a drug expires April 30, despite court rulings that have already spared three men. Ledell Lee's execution was the first in the state since 2005. He was pronounced dead at 11:56 p.m. Thursday, four minutes before his death warrant was due to expire. Lee, 51, was put on death row for the 1993 death of his neig...

Sheriff's beatn Pope County Sheriff's Deputy Hayden Saffold responded to a residence on Combs Road, where a complainant told him a 1975 GMC Sierra pickup truck with license plate 246 TRK was allegedly stolen. The value of the truck was $1,800, according to a report. n PCSO Deputy Thomas Cunningham responded to a residence at Atkins Bottoms Road in reference to stolen property. The complainant stated a man was seen doing donuts in a gray 2008 GMC pickup, unt...

Circuit judge pleads guilty to DWICLARKSVILLE -- The circuit judge arrested Jan. 20 by Arkansas State Police admitted in Johnson County Circuit Court on Monday he made no excuses for his actions and pleaded guilty to DWI and reckless driving. Court documents from the Johnson County Courthouse indicated Circuit Judge William "Bill" Pearson, with his defense attorney Jeff Rosenzweig, negotiated a plea of guilty or "nolo contendere" to DWI, a misdemeanor, and reckless driving, al...

Change of venue granted in Ward trialDANVILLE -- A special judge ruled Tuesday in Yell County Circuit Court that the trial of the former EMS director and secretary will be moved to Morrilton in Conway County. Tom Tatum II, prosecuting attorney for the 15th Judicial District, said Tuesday that Special Judge Brad Karren, Division II judge for the 19th Circuit West, ruled to remove the trial from Yell County and to schedule it in Conway County, after attorneys for both sides agreed ...

Authorities arrest man in disputeAccording to a police report, William R. Dykes, 37, told arresting officers, "I've assaulted a cop before, and I'm not afraid to do it again," shortly before being placed in handcuffs and transported to the Pope County Detention Center for an alleged aggravated assault. Dykes was arrested on Saturday at 12:20 a.m. after police were dispatched to the 1300 block of Parker Road in reference to a disturbance with a weapon. When officers arrived on...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Ward trial set for July in Conway CountyDANVILLE — A special judge ruled Tuesday in Yell County Circuit Court that the trial of the former EMS director and secretary will be moved to Morrilton in Conway County. Tom Tatum II, prosecuting attorney for the 15th Judicial District, said Tuesday that Special Judge Brad Karren, Division II judge for the 19th Circuit West, ruled to remove the trial from Yell County and to schedule it in Conway County, after attorneys for both sides agreed t...